THE LEAD: TRUMP REDUCES AREA OF TWO NATIONAL MONUMENTS

Hoodoo rock formations in the Big Ears National Monument (Image: National Park Service)

In an historic move, President Trump shrunk two national monuments Monday established in Utah by his Democratic predecessors, the largest reduction of protected public lands in U.S. history.

The Washington Postreports, “Trump’s move to shrink the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments by more than 1.1 million acres and more than 800,000 acres, respectively, immediately sparked an outpouring of praise from conservative lawmakers as well as protests by activists outside the White House and in Utah. The changes plunge the Trump administration into uncharted legal territory, as no president has sought to modify monuments established under the 1906 Antiquities Act in more than half a century.”

Trump’s decision reduces Bears Ears by 85% and Grand Staircase-Escalante by 46%, land that could now be used for energy exploration, among other potential uses.

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SUPREME COURT ALLOWS TRAVEL BAN TO GO INTO EFFECT

The legal wheels are turning, but in what direction? (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

The New York Times has the lowdown on the latest chapter in the life of the travel ban, reporting this morning that, “The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the third version of the measure to go into effect while legal challenges continue. Most citizens of Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria and Yemen will be barred from entering the U.S., as will some Venezuelans.”

This move from the nation’s highest court suggest that the ban’s chances of surviving legal challenges are fairly good. This is a huge issue to watch over the next several months, and an important one for supporters of the Trump administration.

TODAY IN A TWEET

‘Nuf said:

RAGING WILDFIRE GAINS STRENGTH IN CALIFORNIA, 27,000 EVACUATED

Shot of the ‘Thomas Fire’ that is ravaging Ventura, California. (Image: LA Times video)

A wind-fueled wildfire swept into the city of Ventura, California overnight, burning structures and over 31,000 acres of land, as well as forcing thousands to suddenly evacuate their homes.

The Los Angeles Timesreports that “fire officials said the intensity of the fire, coupled with the high winds, made it pretty much unstoppable. ‘The prospects for containment are not good,’ Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen said at a news conference. ‘Really, Mother Nature is going to decide.’”

The so-called “Thomas Fire” is expected to burn at least 50,000 acres before it’s contained.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST: IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO LAND AN INTERNSHIP FOR WINTER BREAK